The excitement was palpable as students at the Tobago School for the Deaf, Speech and Language Impaired put on their lab coats and goggles, ready for a day of science experiments, math games and hands-on learning. For many, it was their first time experiencing science in such a way, and for UWI St Augustine’s Faculty of Science and Technology (FST), it was a vision brought to life.
Final-year Mathematics and Statistics student Kassia Blake was especially thrilled to take part. “I was overjoyed when I was accepted to be part of the team for an outreach that includes deaf children,” she shared.
Blake’s connection to the deaf community started in 2022, after meeting a deaf student on campus during orientation. Motivated to broaden her communication skills, she began learning sign language. This outreach allowed her to combine her growing skillset with her passion for science.
At the heart of the outreach was Chemistry lecturer Dr Petrea Facey, who has been the driving force behind this initiative. “Last year, we got external funding to do two similar outreach projects in Trinidad, which was when I learned of this school in Tobago. Often Tobago schools don’t get these opportunities, and we thought this was unfair,” she explained.
Co-ordinating the outreach required extensive planning. “It took lots of work, given the logistics like getting staff, volunteers and materials for activities and experiments in Tobago,” Dr Facey said. But with determination and teamwork, they made it happen. “The UWI paid for staff and volunteers to get to Tobago. The THA Education Division played a pivotal role in both sponsorship and logistics, along with private donations for students to have lab coats, goggles and tokens.”
Even with the success of the initiative, Dr Facey emphasised the need for continued financial support to sustain and expand these efforts. “I hope to get a title sponsor and more involvement from corporate Trinidad and Tobago,” she said.
For Dr Facey, the mission is deeply personal. “It’s a goal of mine for at least one deaf child to see they are capable and able to be a scientist. My hope is to see a deaf child inspired enough to not just graduate with an undergrad degree at The UWI, but to believe in themselves and get a PhD.”
The outreach was not limited to science experiments. Math games customised for students with a range of learning differences offered a blend of challenge and fun. “The uniqueness of this school is that it’s not just deaf students, but children with different learning abilities like autism and ADHD. Seeing their excitement and joy is heartwarming,” Dr Facey reflected.
The Mathematics Department also played a significant role. Dr Akhenaton Daaga praised the efforts of the entire team, especially highlighting the work of Tsania James, who works with media for FST. “To get volunteers, we put out a call to our sub-student association. The response was overwhelming.”
Preparation went beyond just activities. The team worked with Dr Jacqueline Huggins from the Student Life and Development Department, who facilitated a workshop for staff and volunteers on what to expect and how to interact with children with disabilities.
For Cordella Pantin, principal of the school, the outreach was a dream realised. “I continue to be humbled and full of gratitude for Dr Facey, The UWI and the FST team,” she said.
The school currently serves 36 students between the ages of 5 and 18, with varying disabilities that include speech, hearing and learning challenges.
“This was more than one year of preparation. I’m also thankful to the THA Education Division along with the sponsors who made today possible,” Ms Pantin shared.
As she approaches the end of her tenure, Ms Pantin hopes the partnership continues. “Students like mine often just need someone to believe in them. It was exhilarating seeing both joy and frustration on their faces especially when it came to the math games,” she said. “Though my time here is almost over, I do hope this can be an annual activity which I’m happy to support and come back to visit and spectate for the future students of this school.”
